NBA Trade Rumors: Jazz trying 'hard' to offload Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson as draft pick hunt intensifies to rebuild roster
The Utah Jazz had one of their worst NBA campaigns this season. They are looking to improve for the next by aggressively shopping guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson in the offseason.
Utah finished with a league-worst 17-65, missing the playoffs for the third straight year. The record was the worst for the Jazz since their first season in Utah in 1980, when they went 24-58.
Given how things went down for them, talk has been rife that it is going to be a busy offseason for the team on the trade front. It includes possible deals involving Sexton and Clarkson, who are both on expiring contracts as of the 2025-26 season.
Sexton, 26, played his third year in Utah this season. He saw action in 63 games, starting in 61 of them, and averaged 18.4 points, 4.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game.
For his part, Clarkson, 33, who won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2021 with the Jazz, was limited to just 37 games because of injuries, including plantar fasciitis, which cut his season short after undergoing a medical procedure late in Utah's campaign. In his sixth season in Utah, he averaged 16.2 ppg, 3.7 apg and 3.2 rpg in 26.0 mpg.
Apart from the two guards, the Jazz are reportedly open to talks involving big men Walker Kessler and John Collins.
New Jazz president excited to lead team back to league respectability
The Utah Jazz had it tough in the last couple of seasons, but it is not stopping new president for basketball operations, Austin Ainge, from getting to work and leading the team back to league respectability.
Ainge, the son of NBA legend and Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, was added to the organization last week after extensive experience working in various capacities for the Boston Celtics and their G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
Following his hiring, Ainge spoke about his new role and plans in an interview on 97.5FM KSL Sports Zone.
"Absolutely (this is) a dream come true," he said. "I’ve been grinding in the G League and gyms in Serbia and Lithuania. This is what I love, this is my passion. I’m so excited to do this.
“I've been AND on the table," Ainge added. "The optionality … we have to find value and we have to make smart moves. We’ll have to see what opportunities present themselves to us."
Apart from possible trade deals in the offseason, Ainge and his team are also poring over possible options for the No. 5 pick they hold in the 2025 NBA draft on June 17.